Did the Olivier Awards get it right?
Last night saw the announcement of the Laurence Olivier Awards for London theatre, and I think it's a pretty good list. Main winners that caught my eye included Margaret Tyzack as Best Actress for The Chalk Garden, Derek Jacobi as Best Actor for Twelfth Night and four awards for Black Watch including Best Director and Best New Play. Interesting that the two main opera awards went to the ENO.
As ever with such awards, the Olivier conjures up regrets about the productions I didn't make it to. Winner of the award for Most Annoyed With Myself For Missing is Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal's Cafe Muller/ The Rite of Spring, chosen as the Olivier Best New Dance Production. One show that is still on is La Clique, which won Best Entertainment. We made an item about them at last year's Edinburgh Festival if you'd like a taster. Any thoughts on the winners and losers?
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The only award i can comment on is Patrick Stewart as that's the only performance i saw. Although i think he is excellent and have been very impressed the times i've seen him on stage (and of course as Jean Luc), I'm surprised his performance in Hamlet was the best supporting role. some other plays i had the chance to see, such as Othello (Warwick arts centre) had supporting performances that were at least as good.
I was also blown away by David Tennent's Hamlet and wonder whether there was some snobbery re his fame that prevented even a nomination for him. I think there may be a risk with the proliferation of high profile TV/film actors on stage that they might suffer from lack of nominations due to the possible snobbery?
Although i do understand the problem people have with this and the fact that it limits opportunities for newer actors.
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Hi annex48
I believe that David Tennant was left off the shortlist because he missed too many performances following his back injury:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/4446759/David-Tennant-excluded-from-voting-for-Laurence-Olivier-Awards.html
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fair enough - thats my own ignorance. I hadn't realised the awards were London based only.
That also renders my comment re Patrick Stewart irrelevant, i only saw 'No mans land' last year in London and although Michael Gambon's performance was excellent i thought the supporting actors were good but not outstanding.
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It's not immediately obvious that the awards are London-based because so many productions start out elsewhere.
I thought that David Bradley was excellent in No Man's Land, but didn't really like David Walliams' performance.
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are there any national theatre awards?
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I *think* that the Critics' Circle Awards might be national: http://tiny.cc/vsuyx but it's interesting to have a look at what Lynn Gardner says about theatre awards in the Guardian: http://tiny.cc/KOLni
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